Get Into the Act - The Older Americans Act Turns 50

This year marks an important milestone in the history of how our country supports its older citizens. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Older Americans Act (OAA) into law on July 14, 1965. Over the past 50 years, the OAA has provided the nation with programs that allow millions of older Americans to continue living and thriving in the communities of their choice for as long as possible.

Through a national network of aging services and funding, the OAA offers a wide range of supports, including home-delivered and congregate meals, caregiver support, preventive health services, transportation, job training, and elder abuse prevention.

This anniversary offers an opportunity to emphasize how older adults can access the home- and community-based services they need to live independently in their communities. It is also an occasion to highlight how older adults are engaging with and making a difference in those communities.

The theme of this special observance is “Get into the Act.” The following infographic highlights some of the milestones over the last 50 years since the Act was signed into law.